Owner Cellino ‘regrets’ buying Leeds

Leeds United chairman Massimo Cellino would like to leave the club and wishes he had never come to Elland Road.

He was acquitted of tax evasion in an Italian court last week and is waiting to hear if his disqualification by the Football League will now be quashed.

Cellino told the Times: “It’s better to walk out, not because I’m dishonest but because I’m tired and hurt and lonely.

“If I could turn back time and you ask whether I would come to this club, I would say never.”

The Football League said on Thursday that his ban, which was deferred, would no longer apply once they saw the court’s written judgment confirming his acquittal.

Cellino, who took over at Elland Road in April 2014, agreed to sell the club to Leeds Fans United earlier in the season before calling off the deal.

It was revealed earlier this week that his son Ercole had left the club’s board, while his other son Edoardo was suspended in April from all football activities for three games and fined £5,000 for or using abusive and/or insulting and/or improper language on social media.

The former Cagliari owner now says he will sell the club if he gets the right offer.

“If somebody doesn’t come in then I have no choice but to run it,” he said. “A lot of people have called me, but they are just fishing. I don’t see the money.”

Cellino has been the focus of a number of protest from fans and says he feels unsafe as a result.

“I’m scared to take a train in case someone comes up to me. My family don’t come to Leeds anymore because they are scared,” he added.